I’m SUPER excited to share my newest release with you today, another medieval Young Adult (YA) book, A LOYAL HEART! (Stayed tuned to the end of the post for a giveaway!)
I recently explained the inspiration behind my newest YA book here. Let me just summarize by saying readers were asking for another story and I answered the call!
One of the things I’ve discovered about writing the YA genre especially with a medieval setting, is that both youth and adults really enjoy the stories. In fact, one of my influencers said this in her review:
“I was so happy to find out there was another book in this series. It’s such a fun series to read and I love that it’s set for young adults but can be enjoyed by all.”
Another reader recently emailed me to thank me for writing Christian YA. She said: “I’m delighted you are writing YA. Please, keep doing it. My girls are young, but it won’t be long before they dive into these types of novels. Of course, I love them myself.”
This particular reader went on to explain how she ministers to teen girls and loves to be able to point them to an alternative for what’s available in the secular market.
Sadly, the secular YA book market has grown increasingly dark, cultic, profane, and sexualized.
Once upon a time, I felt comfortable buying secular YA books. For the most part, I could rest assured that I wouldn’t have to worry about profanity and sex. But recently I’ve grown increasingly wary before purchasing YA novels and have to research the book reviews more thoroughly.
As an adult, I don’t consider myself legalistic. I’m willing to skim over sections that I don’t like or find offensive. However, with the Young Adult genre (emphasis on young!), I shouldn’t have to skim, and I shouldn’t have to worry about whether my 7th grade daughter will stumble across explicit sex scenes.
Ironically, while my books can be enjoyed by youth and draw in adults, it seems that secular YA is drawing in adults but beginning to exclude youth.
My youngest daughter and many girls her age are beginning to fall in love with reading romances. At their tender age, I want them to have access to wholesome, sweet, and yet exciting romances, stories that uplift as well as teach them about how to have healthy relationships.
So, yes! Because I feel so passionate about providing wholesome romance for young readers, I will keep writing them!
How about YOU? Have you noticed the trend toward darker YA? How do you handle it?
Now about that giveaway! To celebrate the release of A LOYAL HEART, I’m giving away a signed copy! Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win.
Jody Hedlund
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Unfortunately, it’s not only the young adult market. Pick up any mass media book at your local bookstore, themes are more sinister, language is more profane, and God is not acknowledged or honored. Know that we appreciate your uplifting and winsome books. Blessings.
I have noticed the darkness of YA fiction, just by the covers. I have not figured a way to handle it however, now that my daughter has reached that age
I have noticed the trend toward darker YA books. I’m 57 and I have no children but it’s still a disturbing trend. Jody, I have to say I love your books. I guess I’m young at heart because these books are favorites of mine! I’m looking forward to A Loyal Heart.
I’ve noticed it even in some Christian fiction. Even the covers are disturbing.
I pinned and shared on FB.
A fantastic book!
I have noticed the darker trend of YA adults, which really saddens me. As a prolific reader, I read across several genres, and it’s been difficult knowing which YA books are ones that I would truly enjoy. On the flip side though, I recently found some middle grade fiction which is clever, clean, and on the whole much better than YA fiction. 🙂 Which is nice because I originally thought that middle grade fiction would be too “young” for me to read. I think the sign of a truly good YA or middle grade book is that it can be read and enjoyed by people of all ages! 😀
I love your YA series and am so excited to read the fourth book!
I’ve noticed this trend in many genres!
I totally agree with you. I love reading YA fiction but the secular books are getting absolutely horrible. I started to read one a couple of weeks ago and within the very first chapter I counted at least 6 swear words!
On a different subject… Mrs Hedlund I LOVE the cover of your new book and the story sounds fantastic!!!
My daughter is too young to be into YA, but I personally don’t read any secular books. Everything seems to be too dark and sinister these days, so I stick to Christian fiction!
And as you discussed, I have enjoyed “reading” all of your YA releases by listening to them on audio even though I’m in my 30s! I’m thrilled one day I will be able to share them with my daughter.
So thank you for doing what you do!
As a high school English teacher, I, too, have seen the darkening of YA literature. I often recommend books that were previously published that are not as dark as today’s YA. I’ve also noticed that in tweener and YA lit, boy books that are honest but not dark are difficult to find. My grandsons and my niece and nephew are my readers to choose for.
I appreciate your hopeful writing for today’s teens.
First, I LOVE the cover!
Second, I agree with you on YA Fiction. I recently took a book (second in a series) straight back to the library after a questionable scene was followed by a character declaring they’d done nothing wrong. Eh, I guess it depends on your measuring stick. Looking forward to diving into your books!
I am a retired teacher, so I have spent years reading YA literature, and yes, I have grave concerns that it has become increasingly darker and more sexually explicit. There are still some good books out there though. Parents just have to be diligent about reading what they allow their children to read first thoroughly. Thank you for contributing to the exceptional literature for YA.
Congratulations on your new release, Jody! Yes, I’ve definitely noticed the trend toward darker, edgier content in the YA market. It makes me so sad, because that was such a formative time in my life as a reader, and I loved books that challenged me but not in a way that was disturbing or made me feel guilty as I was reading. Fortunately, as an adult I’ve found many more Christian YA authors (like you!) that I hopefully can steer my kids toward someday. I also wrote my own very clean YA fairy tale romance that recently released, and I hope to write many more!
I taught 5th grade for 23 years, retiring in 2014. The dark themes, violence, cursing, and some sexual content have made their way down to literature geared for grades 4 – 6. About 15 years ago, our librarian returned a Newbery award book because of its content. Until that time she always had a standing order in for Newbery and Caldecott releases. I purchased some books by a highly renowned children’s author to supplement a unit on the Iditarod, and fortunately read them before giving them to my students – very graphic descriptions about animal violence. Our school system decided to purchase a classroom library for each teacher, grades 1 – 5, to replace the reading anthology textbook. Students were always showing me books with highly inappropriate material (one a rape scene). I removed such books, but of course couldn’t read every book to preview first. Some students would show me library books with curse words and ask why the author would write like that. They wanted to write the author to complain, which I encouraged. But things have only gotten worse as authors say they are portraying real world situations. Now I find myself screening books for my ten year old granddaughter.
It’s a tough world for raising children when you consider the literature, music, video games, and movies that are being produced. No wonder our culture is losing a sense of values and morality. Thank you for the books you write.
I have noticed that more and more YA books seem to be about the paranormal or adult themed genres. Our children don’t need to be exposed to that. I’m so thankful for Christian authors who are providing clean and exciting alternates for our youth.
It’s sad to see books specifically geared toward ‘young adult’ becoming way too ‘adult’. A truly great story shouldn’t need explicit sex scenes or vulgar language to keep reader’s attention. I read very few secular books YA or otherwise due to the fact it’s so difficult to find these things absent. It makes me all the more grateful for Christian writers (like yourself) who write books with fantastic “clean” stories. Thank you for the opportunity to win your newest.
I have definitely noticed this trend toward darker YA and it makes me sad for the same reasons you listed! I’m still drawn toward the “YA Room” at the library, but can’t always be sure what I find there will be something I’ll like. :-/ I find that I end up reading more Indie published titles to make up for it.
I LOVE the cover for A Loyal Heart!!! It’s my favorite of yours yet! Simply STUNNING! <3
Yes, I’ve noticed some YA growing darker. I grateful for authors like yourself that won’t compromise and continue to glorify the Lord with their writing.
I pinned and shared on Facebook.
I don’t read much YA books, but having said that I have totally noticed how dark they are getting. Its especially noticeable when YA books are made into movies. There have been a few I have watched and then I realized they were based on a book and its very disturbing to me how dystopian so many of them are and how violent they can be. I don’t have kids but if I did I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t let them read any of the current YA books. I’m so glad you write YA books Jody, its nice to know there are alternatives out there for kids.
I could nearly copy/paste so many of the previous comments, especially Sherri G. (I would say she’s a long lost twin, but I won’t be 57 for 15 more days.)
I am a recently retired teacher (34 years, elementary music) and until about the last 10 years I read many children’s books. I have also enjoyed reading some of the YA books in more recent years. Usually those books were recommended to me by my 6th grade students.
The trend toward darker/more graphic content is, I think, in all genres. It reflects the sad turn our country’s morals have taken. It also seems that, from a marketing standpoint, authors are encouraged to continually push ever closer to the edge of what is considered acceptable in order to sell books.
I am so thankful that you have written books for YA. I have really enjoyed reading all of them and look forward to reading A Loyal Heart.
On a side note. I have been doing some volunteer work in my school library. The library is trying to update the inventory and I would love to recommend your YA series. Are your books available in Library Bound copies?
Hi Ruby, I’m not sure about the library bound version! I’m guessing that they are since Zondervan has marketed them widely to libraries. In fact, this past summer I discovered that one of them was a part of the summer reading program giveaway that our library does!
I’ve noticed that everything seems to be getting darker. But I’m pretty particular about what I read and let my children read. We find authors that have proven to be exceptional and stay with them and find others from recommendations off Goodreads and Amazon and the local library. We don’t let it get us down, we just keep searching until we find something worth reading.
I absolutely agree with you! To me the young adult genre is almost similar to paranormal fantasy and sci-fi. I’m grateful to you that you write clean medieval romances for young adults such as myself!
I just wanted to say that you’re an amazing writer and I am so glad that there are authors like you for us to read. Not only does this genre of books can help encourage us as Christians, but it also allows us to read these amazing books that keeps us on our toes and our lives interesting. God Bless (:
We have a very small but growing shelf of books for our youth in the church library. It is so very hard to find books for that age group that don’t include the “dark side of life”.
WE have noticed it. We try to encourage our daughters to pick up Faith based stuff more than secular based reading to help combat that.
I’ve definitely noticed the trend toward darker YA titles. The stories seem to be filled with darkness and evil. I wouldn’t recommend them for teens, and they even make me reluctant to read them. I get tired of the lack of joy in them.
I posted the giveaway on Facebook and Pinterest!
yes i have noticed it and i dont like it either…..i try not to download any that have foul language or sexual scenes…….and if one does get by me and i start reading it…….it goes bye-bye real quick
I have definitely seen the trend towards darker YA. I try to stay with authors I know are Christian authors or with authors that they may recommend. Occasionally I will skim through Christianbook.com and see if there are any new authors/books offered there that sound interesting.
I don’t like the darker ones.
I rather like the trend toward darker YA, as long as it stays clean in actual content. It opens a door for readers like my teen daughter to think about situations without having to experience all of those things herself.
You’ve caught me. Now I need to read this book! My daughters are now adults, but I have been blessed with 4 granddaughters who are avid readers. They will not, however, get to read this book until Gramma finishes it!
P.S. I am pinning the cover of this book to my Pinterest board.
I try to avoid them but I have read some that are more violent than I should have. I jus try to stick to authors I have read before and can handle. Also, find indie books that are clean and wholesome.
As a teen myself, I’ve definitely noticed the trend of darker YA books. For the longest time, I never even went into the teen section of our library, because all the books were filled with things I’d never want to put in my mind. It’s one of the main reasons I jumped from juvenile fiction to Christian adult romances at age 13 – there just wasn’t anything in the secular, and sometimes in the Christian, YA books I wanted to read.
Oh, and I pinned your book cover to pinterest.
I don’t like the darker slant for YA nor adults books. Other than a couple of authors I’ve just about given up reading anything other than Christian fiction. I know some Christian authors write some novels with an edgier twist but the storyline and what they are trying to show makes it worth it. There is still no bad language nor sex just more than a typical Christian fiction book. As long as they are trying to show what we as Christians need to be aware of and how we can help then I don’t have a problem with edgier. However, I will not read about abuse especially to children – friends have been foster parents and seeing what some of the children have been through I just can’t read details on it when I’ve seen the lasting effects on these children. It truly hurts too much.
It’s tragic that most secular YA fiction (and really any fiction) is just a dirty exciting of senses and emotions. And parents in particular, having little or no idea what their teens and young adults are reading, aren’t steering them away from the destructive, corrosive reading and toward better content that grows strong minds and hearts.
One of my screenwriting mentors, John Fornof, expressed beautifully that “Life and death of a culture is dependent on who is telling the stories.”
Thank you Jody, and authors like you, for being a part of creating life-giving stories that touch readers in enriching ways.
Thankfully, I don’t have teens anymore so any kind of YA is never in my house…with the exception of Melanie Dickerson 🙂 I haven’t read any of yours yet Jody, but have enjoyed many historicals by you so I know these would be fantastic.
Thank you for the giveaway chance for A Loyal Heart, I’m loving that cover!
I pinned the book cover and giveaway link on Pinterest!
And Facebook too!
Shared on Facebook!
I love the cover of this book. I do not usually read YA but this is one I will read!
My daughter isn’t teen age yet, but we’ve already had to be very vigilant in even her middle grade reading choices! It’s crazy what they put in books nowadays. So sad.
I shared on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram!
I’m so glad there are christian authors who write clean YA books for us to read!
Yes, I have noticed that downward trend in YA fiction. I try to read the books before my teenage daughter does or get recommendations from friends that have my same values.
I’ve notice the trend of the dark side & I don’t know why that would be happening. Thanks for your generosity.
Look forward to another great book of yours.
As a grandmother to 7 girls (Well, one isn’t really here until July.) it is important to me to have these books to pass along to the them. Grand #3 is a teen now, an avid reader, and noticing boys. It’s wonderful to be able to give them examples of how a true gentleman should treat a lady, what to expect in a right relationship. And I love them, too! I’m not really a “romance” reader, but these books are far more than that.
Thank you so much for providing books that I love and can feel good about my daughter (or friends) reading my recommendations. Keep up the good work!!
I have noticed this disturbing trend in books, and I myself have become increasingly wary of books by authors or publishers I don’t know.
I love your books and can’t wait to read your newest novel. I have two younger sister who also love your books. Keep up the great work!
Yes, they have gotten darker. I’m trying to read more YA books from Christian authors so I can recommend them to my teenagers. Loved A Loyal Heart!!! Thanks for writing such wonderful stories.
I have most definitely noticed that they are getting darker and it’s very hard as a young Christian Woman to find a book that I like that isn’t dark or explicit in any way. I have definitely enjoyed these series and it makes me so happy to hear that you’ve written another! I can’t wait to read this one!
Although my oldest isn’t quite to the YA stage, she is an avid reader so I have done some browsing in that section of the library and was shocked by the content. Jody, thank you for providing a wholesome and entertaining alternative, she and I are both fans of your series!
shared on Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook 🙂
The darkening YA fiction doesn’t directly me. However, it is concerning since I have a high school age niece and nephew. I’m sure my sister and BIL discuss this with them.
I have noticed the trend toward darker YA, so I always strive to keep the fiction I write clean. YAs have enough to deal with, and their parents shouldn’t worry about what they’re reading.
Yes! It is so frustrating to have to worry about content of our teen book choices out there. I try to read reviews on Amazon to determine if there are questionable things in the books.
For years I have relied on Amazon reviews, searching for the word ‘clean’!
I have found that I can’t even trust other friends recommendations. So when I found your books and other clean romance ones, I tell everyone I know!I know so many who find it difficult to know what is ok to read.
I am so grateful for you writing such intriguing and wholesome novels! These bring me that sense of escapism that I need when I get stressed or anxious, it makes me happy! Books just like yours have me talking about them for months and even years!
My daughter is only 4 but I can’t wait to share my collection (my passion for reading) with her and authors like you make it possible! Thank you!
I really enjoy reading YA fiction, but because I’m hyper-aware and hyper-sensitive to dark/sinister content, I refuse to read any fantasy within secular YA. The risk of coming across content that has satanic/evil undertones is too big for me. I have been sensitive like this since I was a kid. As for contemporary or historical YA fiction, if it’s not a Christian author, I try to be careful of what I choose and follow reviews and recs by people I trust. I think that there are some great secular YA books out there, but (yes) YA books are becoming increasingly less YA and more adult. I am cognizant of the direct correlation this has to media (TV and film) marketing, as well.
I was so thrilled when your novella, The Vow, was released and the promise of more to come. I’ve purchased every book since and also downloaded the earlier study guides to use and share with my daughter when she was younger. Now, she’s 19 and refuses to read any kind of romance. Sometimes, I question her genetics. Haha! Yet, I still purchase this series for my own enjoyment.
Posted on FB, Pinterest and Twitter
Yes I have and it disturbs me. I am a grandmother and have preteen grandsons who love to read. My daughter is very good because she reads his books first and then lets him know if he can read them. If there is something disturbing in the book she explains it to him from a Christian standpoint.
Congratulations on your new release Jody!
I am enjoying this series. I don’t have any daughters….2 grown sons & 1 grandson…but from I’ve seen from the books offered to YA it is rather disturbing to see what their choices are. I too am thankful for gifted authors, like you, that bring glory to the Lord in their writing.
Blessings, Tina
I shared on facebook & Pinterest.
Blessings, Tina
I don’t read YA. I really don’t consider your books YA. They are just enjoyable historical books! I’m glad there is another book to read!
I’m 49 and have been reading read YA since I was around 12. I noticed the shift around 10 years ago, when books like Hunger Games and Twilight dominated the genre and created demand for darker content, changing the norm. My solution is to read what my kids read, usually before them. Unfortunately, so many parents have no idea what their kids are reading and think if they got it at school, it must be clean and wholesome. Not so. My daughter actually chose to get a failing grade on an English project one year, rather than read the explicit filth assigned by the teacher. When Twilight was at the heart of its popularity, I witnessed a bookstore conversation with a girl of 7 or 8 begging her dad to get it for her. He was on the verge of agreeing when I stepped in and told him what it was about. He looked horrified and told her a firm no. We really need to know what our kids are being exposed to. Thanks, Jody, for your stories!
It is hard. I try to be vigilant when purchasing gifts for younger nieces and nephews.
The market in general has become more explicit, violent, and graphic. Many authors prefer not to follow that trend, but it is what the publishers demand. If an author wants to get their books out there and promoted, they need to follow the publisher’s wishes. It shrinks the audience as well as what an author can put out there.
I shared on facebook as Patricia Barraclough.
I pinned the cover. https://www.pinterest.com/pin/68961438029360083/
I shared on Facebook on 3/7/18! https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10160165371175472&id=516050471
YA has definitely turned darker. I have even noticed some “Christian” YA books carry dark, demonic, and unnecessary themes, which makes it hard to find wholesome books. That is why I am so appreciative of authors in all genres who chose to write clean Christian YA.
Yep, I’ve definitely noticed it!A lot of darker, sexual themes. I’ve always been drawn to books with beautiful covers. When I was in high school, I started noticing a new theme in the covers of some YA fiction. Many of them were beautiful- a simple mono-colored background of different hues with one focal point. The focal point was often beautiful- a flower, a trinket or a globe of some sort. But the content was inappropriate. I’ve learned to avoid these covers now. It’s given me a whole other meaning to “don’t judge a book by it’s cover”.
Shared to Facebook ( Facebook account is OriannaEstelle). Looking forward to reading more of your novels! Thank you for your work.
This looks like such a good book!
I haven’t noticed the trend, but maybe that’s because I rarely read YA unless it’s Christian.
I really try to support those authors who keep their stories clean!
I love that your YA books are something I can recommend to younger friends without having to worry about them reading inappropriate things. Instead of filling their minds with bits of garbage I know this book is giving them encouragement and wisdom to make good relationship choices.
I have seen that trend as well, but am so glad that there are a number of authors who still write good young adult books.
I feel like it has gotten worse and worse. And as someone who is younger it’s hard to find ones that are clean that you can enjoy.